


Something Sweet

by bettsc



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, Waitress Betty Cooper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 23:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15253974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bettsc/pseuds/bettsc
Summary: Jughead Jones enjoys a little something sweet with his pancakes.





	Something Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Oh all mighty Grammar Gods, this piece is un-beta'd, so please forgive any mistakes.

The neon lights of Pop’s Chock-lit Shop lit up the cloudless sky on a warm August night. Pop’s had been the heart of the small town of Riverdale since it opened its doors; the retro charm harkening back to a simpler time. The diner sat in the middle of the two halves of Riverdale. The northside, with it’s picket fences and manicured lawns; the southside with it’s dilapidated warehouses and crumbling drive-in theatre. The two sides of the small town had been at odds for years, it’s residents coming to blows many times.

 

_“High-and mighty Northsiders”_

 

_“Southside trash”_

 

Words laced with vitriol thrown at one another with side long glances whenever the two came together, except for at Pop’s. Pop Tate wouldn’t have it. Everyone who entered the diner was equal and all were welcome. This didn’t mean that those who chose to hang out there didn’t self segregate themselves to different sides of the diner. One side filled with letterman jackets of the blue and gold Bulldogs; the other leather jackets with the green insignia of the Southside Serpents.

 

Somewhere in the middle of it all, was a girl named Betty. Betty Cooper had grown up on the northside, was a straight A student at Riverdale High, a cheerleader, volunteer and Editor-in-Chief of the school’s newspaper. She was genuinely a kind person, a friend to everyone regardless of what side of the town they grew up on. From the outside, everything about Betty Cooper was perfect, down to her impeccably curled blonde ponytail and pretty pink cardigans. So many failed to see the cracks in the facade that threatened to break her apart.

 

The Coopers were the all-American nuclear family. But it stands true that what you see on the surface is not always what it seems. Alice and Hal Cooper owned the local paper that was facing financial problems. Nonstop arguing ensued and eventually led them to sleep in separate rooms for the past two years. Betty’s sister Polly had found out last month that she was pregnant at 17 and to top it off, a boy named Chic came forward one evening claiming to be the illegitimate son of Alice from her teen years. For now, they told their neighbors he was a distant cousin.

 

Betty did her best to paste a friendly smile on her face and hoped that no one would notice. Her world had become darker and darker over the past year and she often found herself finding sanctuary at Pop’s. Many nights and weekends were spent doing homework or reading in the back booth of the diner. After a particularly nasty fight with her mom, Betty found herself in the same booth yet again.

 

Pop dropped off her strawberry milkshake, “You know Betty, I’ve been looking for an extra set of hands since Trev went off to college. What would you say to working here part time?

 

She looked up at the older man, who had a look of concern etched on his face. _Might as well pay you if you’re going to be here so often_ was the underlying message she heard.

 

“Only if you want it, Betty. I know how busy you are.”

 

His offer was sincere, and Betty couldn’t help the heat behind her eyes,  “Thanks, Pop. I’d love to help out.”

 

\--

 

Turns out like most things she did, Betty excelled as a waitress. She had been working at Pop’s on the weekends for over a month now. One particularly busy Saturday evening, she found herself rushing around to take orders and deliver food.

 

She grabbed a tray of milkshakes and took it over to a table full of young Serpents. Truthfully, they had been the least rowdy table all night, her fellow Riverdale High Bulldogs creating more chaos and cleanup for her than necessary. She set down the orders, “Is there anything else I can get for you all?”

 

Betty wasn’t intimidated by the leather they wore; secretly she found it made them them look confident and exciting. The pale yellow dress and apron of her Pop’s uniform were certainly far from enticing.

 

One of the Serpents, whom someone had referred to as Sweet Pea earlier answered, “ Yeah, lemme get a deluxe burger, fries and another chocolate shake.”

 

A small girl with pink hair teased him, “Jeez Pea, you just ate an hour ago.”

 

“It’s not for me Toni, Jug’s back in town and headed over.”

 

Betty offered them a smile and quickly wrote down on her little notepad, “You got it. I’ll bring it right out.”

 

She picked up the food from the kitchen window and bent down to grab an extra set of silverware to take to the table when she heard the bell on the front door of the diner ding. She stood up and was met with strikingly blue eyes. The stranger was tall, with a coiff of wavy black hair. On top of his head a beanie shaped almost like a crown; on his back a leather jacket which she was sure as inlaid with the Serpents logo. She felt the intensity of his gaze on her, and it was all she could do not to drop the order in her hands.

 

“Jug! Over here, man,” she heard Sweet Pea holler.

 

The moment broken as he turned to join his friends.

 

Betty broke herself out of her reverie and followed after him to the table. He was met with handshakes and hugs from his fellow Serpents as he sat down. She approached the table cautiously.

 

“Here….here’s your order,” Betty said as she set down the food.

 

“Did the honor of ordering you your usual, Jug,” Sweet Pea offered.

 

The eyes of the boy named Jug never left hers and she felt the telltale sign of blush creeping up on her cheeks.

 

“Let me know if there is anything else I can get for you….”

 

She saw the side of his mouth upturn ever so slightly into a small smirk, “Thanks, blondie.”

 

Betty nodded and quickly turned back around to find something to busy herself with, anything other than staring at the at the new customer. Before she had made back behind the counter to make a fresh pot of coffee she heard the voice of the small pink haired girl, “Glad to have you back, Jones.”

 

 _Back?_ Betty idly wondered where he was returning from.

 

At the end of her shift, she was busy counting tips and making sure the register was closed; vaguely aware that the table of Serpents had gotten up to leave.

 

“Yo, Jug. Let’s continue this party at my place,” one of them asked.

 

His voice was smooth yet gruff, “Yeah, I’ll meet you guys there.”

 

The rest of the Serpents headed out the doors of the diner. Betty heard them start up their motorcycles, and was startled when someone behind her cleared their throat. She jumped slightly and turned around to see the same set of blue eyes looking at her from before.

 

“I wanted to make sure they didn’t skip out on the check. They can be a rowdy bunch sometimes,” he told her coolly.

 

“It’s no problem,” she shook her head, “Honestly, they’re more behaved than most of the other people in here on the weekends.”

 

“Well, I hope they keep it that way. I’ll see you around,” he looked down at the name tag on her dress, “Betty.”  

 

She felt something bloom in her chest, “Uh...yeah. I’ll see you next time.”

 

With another smirk, he handed her some money and then turned to leave. She watched him saunter over to his motorcycle and heard the engine roar to life before he took off.

 

It was only then that she let out the breathe she hadn’t realized she was holding in.

 

\--

 

Betty arrived a little early for her shift the next morning and sat down in her usual booth. She pulled out her worn copy of _Beloved_ and thanked Ethel as she poured her a cup of coffee. Afterwhile, Betty found herself engrossed in the story she knew so well.

 

“That’s quite a lot of angst to read for so early in the morning, don’t you think?” She looked up to see the same smirk from the night before staring back at her.

 

She put the book down, “What can I say? I like a like angst with my breakfast, goes well with the black coffee” she offered him small shrug.

 

He laughed lightly and regarded her for a moment before asking, “Mind if I join you?”

 

“Of course,” she gestured to the booth seat across from her.

 

As he took of his messenger bag and placed in the other side of the booth, Betty noticed the difference in not only his demeanor, but appearance. Gone was the leather jacket and combat boots. They had been replaced with a light blue fleece lined sherpa jacket and converse. The crown shaped beanie still sat precariously on his head.

 

“I’m Jughead. Jughead Jones,” he offered her his hand.

 

“I’m Betty Cooper, it’s nice to meet you,” she still felt the heat of his touch long after their handshake ended.

 

Ethel brough Jughead a cup of coffee and said she’d be back soon to take his order. They both sipped quietly before they spoke at the same time.

 

“So how long have you--”

 

“Did you just get back into--”

 

He chuckled, “Ladies first.”

 

“Oh,” she blushed, “I was going to ask if you just got back in town from somewhere? I overheard your friends saying that they were welcoming you back.” Alice Cooper would have been appalled at the forwardness of her question.  

 

He cleared his throat lightly before he answered, “ Yeah, I had an internship this summer. In New York City.”

 

“That’s incredible. Where at?”

 

“Random House,” he answered sheepishly.

 

Betty was again impressed, albeit a little jealous, “That’s really wonderful. Do you have an interest editing?”

 

“Writing, actually. I’m working on a novel. It’s nothing like Morrison” he gestured to the book on the table, “But hopefully it gets me somewhere someday.”

 

“I’m sure it will, Jughead,” she smiled sweetly at him and pretended not to notice the redness that bloomed on his neck.

 

Ethel made her way back over to the table, “So, are you ready to order?”

 

Jughead looked at the menu in front of him for a moment, and then back at Betty, “Anything you’d recommend, Betts?”

 

She felt something flutter in her chest at the nickname, “The pancakes are out of this world.”

 

He closed the menu and turned back to Ethel, “I’ll take the pancakes. With extra syrup, please.”

 

“Sure thing! I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

 

Betty raised an eyebrow, “Extra syrup?”

 

Jughead gave her a lopsided grin that less loose the butterflies in her chest, “I like something sweet with my breakfast.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come find me over on tumblr @bettsc
> 
> Hugs!


End file.
